Improvement in hydraulic elevators



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. H. MORGAN. Hydraulic Elevator.

Z w w A h m I w w m m 1 1h 7 mm M. 1 @I y H11 M a -Q 6 m 0 M W NPEI'ERS.FHOTOLITHOGRAPNER, WASl-HNGTON. I) C 8 Sheets-Sheet. 3.

0. H. MORGAN. Hydraulic Elevator.

No. 201,037. Patented March 5,1878.

Witnesses Jnvenbar.

N PETERS, PNOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. wASHmGToN. I) C.

UNITED Srrrrns PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. MORGAN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,037, dated March 5,1878; application filed July 16, 1877. a

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. MORGAN, of the city and county ofWorcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hydraulic Elevators; and I declare the followingto be a description of my said invention sufficiently full, clear, andexact to enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1represents a side view of such parts of a hydraulic elevator as arenecessary to illustrate the nature of my invention. Fig. 2

represents a part front, part sectional, view of the same, and Fig. 3represents a plan view of portions of the valve-operating mechanism.Figs. 4 and 5 indicate modifications in the safety-stop mechanism.

One feature of my invention consists in the employment, in ahydraulic-elevator mechanism, of a safety-stop or platform-lockingdevice operated or governed by the pressure of the Water in theelevator-cylinder, substantially as hereinafter explained.

Another feature of my invention consists in the employment, in anelevator mechanism operated by hydraulic and steam power, of duplexgoverning devices and valves, arranged for separate or combinedoperation, substantially as hereinafter described, for regulating theaction of the steam and water, and subjecting their forces to moreperfect control from the elevator-platform, and adjusting the power tothe desired effect, or adapting it to the amount of work to beperformed, as hereinafter explained.

Another feature of my invention consists in the combination, with thesteam or reservoir cylinder, of a buoyant or floating piston, ashereinafter described.

Minor features of the invention are explained in the followingdescription, the subject-matter claimed being hereinafter definitelyspecified.

1n the drawings, A denotes the elevator car or platform supported on theupper end of the piston-column B, and arranged tomove up and downbetween the guides C C, in the ordinary manner, by the pressure of waterwithin the cylinder D. E indicates the reservoir-cylinder, from whichthe water is forced into cylinder D for elevating the piston B, and intowhich the water returns when the piston descends.

The cylinders E and D are connected near their lower ends by a channelor pipe, F, which is provided with a stop-cock or valve, G, for closingthe passage or regulating the flow of water through, into, and from thecylinder D. The water is forced from the cylinder or reservoir E bysteam entering the upper portion E of said cylinder, above the pistonH,through the pipe I, which leads from a suitable steamsupply boiler, J,placed at any convenient po sition. The steam'pipe I is provided with astop-cock or valve, K, for shutting off or regulating the flow of steam,and with an escape pipe or nozzle, 1, also opened and closed by thesamevalve K.

The valves G and K are respectively connected for operation to thegoverning rods or lines M and M, which extend up to the top of theguides C at a convenient position to be operated from theelevatorplatform A, or at any height as desired. The governing-lines areprovided with a suitable coupling device, m, whereby the two lines M andM can be connected with each other, sothat they operate the valves G Kin unison, or be disconnected, so that each line and valve may beoperated separately and independently of the other.

The coupling device may, if desired, be arranged so as to be operatedfrom the platform A While in motion. Stop-lugs a a, or other suitabledevices such as are commonly used, may be combined with the lines M andM, for engagementwith the platform or car A, to close the valves whenthe car has reached a given height or position.

I do not desire to confine my claim to the particular construction ofthe governing-lines herein shown for operating the valves Gr and K, orto the particular devices for coupling said lines to each other, sinceany other construction effecting similar combined and independent actioncould be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The piston H is made so as to float on the surface of the water withinthe cylinder E,

and may be formed of wood or other light material, or as a hollowmetallic shell filled with air or buoyant gas. Said piston H separatesthe steam in the upper chamber E of the cylinder from the water in thelower chamber E and thus prevents condensation of the steam.

The platform or car A is provided with a safety mechanism for locking itto the ratchets C on the guides (J. This safety mechanismI combine withthe piston-colun1n Bin such manner that the pressure of the water usedwithin the cylinder D for raising the platform serves to actuate orgovern the action of the locking devices. In the present instance thesafety mechanism consists of a pair of latchlevers, L, fulcrumed on aportion of the platform-frame, with their outer ends in position toengage the ratchets. The inner ends of said levers L are pivoted to asmall pistonrod, N, working into a cylindrical opening in the upper partof the piston-column B, while a spring, 0, is arranged in opposition tothe piston N for depressing the parts. (See Fig. 2.)

The piston-column B is formed hollow, and while the water is confined inthe cylinder D, and supports the weight of the platform A and its load,the pressure, acting on the piston N through the hollow column B,compresses the spring 0, and keeps the levers L from looking into theratchets 0. But in case of the bursting of the cylinder, or anyoccurrence that would reduce the pressure 011 the piston N below theadjusted force of the spring 0, the levers L are moved downward andoutward to engage the ratchets and support the platform.

In lieu of the piston N for actuating or retaining the locking devices,a diaphragm may be employed for utilizing the pressure, as in Fig. 4,or, if desired, an additional or auxiliary cylinder may be arranged onthe car, from the interior of which cylinder communication isestablished with the interior of the main cylinder D by means of a pipeor channel, R, leading through the column B. See Fig. 5.)

The detail of construction of the locking mechanism may be variedwithout change in the nature of the invention.

The operation of my improved mechanism is briefly as follows: The valvesG and K being opened, steam from the boilerJ passes intothereservoir-cylinderE, driving the water from thence into theelevator-cylinder D, where it forces up the piston B and platform A.When the load is comparatively light the valve K may be closed when apart of the distance has been run, and the remainder of the distance beaccomplished by the expansion of the steam in the cylinder E. By closingthe valve G the car or platform A is detained at any desired position.To descend or run downward, the valve K is turned so as to permit thesteam to escape from the cylinder E through the pipe I, and, the valve Gbeing open, the water flows back into the reservoir-cylinder E.

Among the advantages attained by my invention may be mentioned the greateconomy of power by the utilization of the expansive force of the steamand adaptation of the power to the load, the perfect control of the carby the duplex action of the governing mechanism, also the permanentlocking of the car or platform in position at any reduction of thesustaining force below a given pressure.

Having described my improvements in bydraulic elevators, what I claimtherein as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. In a hydraulic elevator, the combination, with the car or platform,of a safety-stop or locking mechanism governed in its action by pressurefrom the water within the elevator or water-cylinder, and automaticallyoperating to uphold or lock the elevator-car in position when suddenreduction of the ordinary supporting pressure occurs, substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

2. In combination with the cylindcrD, platform A, and ratcheted guides UG, the hollow piston-column B, piston N, spring 0, and lockin g-leversL, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an elevator mechanism operated by hydraulic and steam power, aduplex governing apparatus the parts of which are arranged for combinedor independent action, in combination with valves for regulating theflow of steam and the flow of water into and from the reservoir orintermediate cylinder, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

4. In combination with the cylinder E and pipes F I, the stop-cocks orvalves G and K and governing-rods M M, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

5. The combination, with the elevator-platform A, piston B, cylinder D,intermediate reservoir-cylinder E, and steam-supply boiler J, of thepipes F I, valves G K, governingrods M M, and coupling m, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

CHAS. H. MORGAN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, S. H. CLARY.

